There, young adults experience a crash course in life skills - washing clothes, boiling noodles, getting along with a roommate, making time to study and budgeting.

"It's an adjustment," said Katie Seybold, 18, a Tokay grad who is a sophomore at Cal Poly. "The first week, I realized I had to go feed myself. I had to figure out how to plan my meal times around my class schedule and my friends' schedules. Then you have to remember to balance your meal plan so that you don't use all your meals up in the beginning of the week."

The newfound freedom isn't without challenges.

"Kids definitely learn to live on their own," said Annette Knowles, a Stockton mom of three who has a daughter entering her freshman year at San Diego State University and a son about to start his junior year at California State University, Chico. "After turning his white T-shirts pink, my son decided to wash all items in cold water."

Jeff Hoonaert could do his own laundry or go home. His parents live across from University of the Pacific.

"My roommate paid a laundry service," the 2011 grad said of how students outsource tasks.

Knowles, a high school counselor at St. Mary's High School in Stockton, said she thinks the most difficult transition is adjusting to dorm life, especially for a student who has never shared a room with a sibling.

It can be especially stressful for students stuck with someone who doesn't respect personal space.

"As a parent, you want your child to be happy, and when they are unhappy with their living situation, our parental instincts want to help them resolve the situation," she said. "However, the best thing a parent can do is listen to their son (or) daughter, let them know that they understand how they are feeling, and then encourage them to work out the problems on their own. Communication with their roommate is key in resolving the issues."

Those who have been there and done that recommend stepping up to learn some chores before heading off to college.

Will Levitt, who has written for Huffington Post and authored the blog "Dorm Room Dinner" until he graduated from Wesleyan University in 2012, said mastering some basic cooking knowledge gives college kids more control over their lives.

"I think students should be food literate before they go off to college. That means knowing how to take some raw ingredients - some vegetables, maybe some pasta or bread and rice and some protein - and put together a meal," said Levitt, now a food writer at underegg.com. "Just knowing how to make a simple homemade tomato sauce with pasta is a skill you can carry with you during college and beyond. Feeling comfortable in the kitchen means you won't have to eat at the dining hall or out at a restaurant every night."

Levitt advises conquering a few simple recipes such as pasta, tacos, omelets, and a simple stir fry.

"From there, you can build on your skills and become any kind of home cook you want," he said.

With so many distractions, time management is a battle.

"You know how your mom reminds you of things?" said Alexa Zaharris, 21, a graduate student at University of the Pacific. "I definitely had to have more lists."

Vanessa Vincent, a Lincoln High grad at Sacramento State, said independence made her appreciate her parents.

"It took a lot of time and patience to step outside of my comfort zone," she said.

One University of the Pacific student said spreading his wings has helped him mature into a more confident grown up who, on occasion, must now wear a tie.

"The first time I had to go to a formal event, I didn't know how to tie a tie," Ryan DesLauriers, 21, a senior, said. "I had to look it up on a YouTube video."